Lee Corso, the good-natured studio analyst known for donning a team’s mascot headgear when he picks it to win, is retiring from ESPN’s “College GameDay” following the first week of the 2025 season. ESPN, which made the announcement Thursday morning, said that the 89-year-old Corso will make his farewell appearance — and final headgear selection, of course — on the Aug. 30 show. The site for that Week 1 show will be announced later this spring, the network said. Corso has been part of “College GameDay” — one of the most successful studio programs in sports television history — for 38 years, or since its inception in 1987. He has remained a beloved contributor to the show — with his catchphrase, “Not so fast, my friend,” when he disagrees with another panelist’s pick — despite health issues, including a stroke in 2009. “My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and ‘College GameDay’ for nearly 40 years,” said Corso in a statement. “I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories, and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.” When “College GameDay” debuted, Corso, a former Florida State star and longtime college football coach, was joined by host Tim Brando and analyst Beano Cook on the set. The program, with Chris Fowler as host, became even more popular when it began broadcasting from a different college campus each week in the 1990s — the first on-site broadcast was the Notre Dame-Florida State “game of the century” matchup in South Bend, Ind., in November 1993. Corso first donned the mascot head to make a selection when he chose Ohio State to win an Oct. 5, 1996, game. According to ESPN, Corso has made 430 mascot picks, including the Buckeyes a record 45 times. The version of the program featuring Fowler, Corso, former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit, and later former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard practically became a cultural phenomenon. Rece Davis replaced Fowler as host in 2015 as the show sustained its success. Current analysts include Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, Howard, and Herbstreit, who is particularly close to Corso. “ESPN has been exceptionally generous to me, especially these past few years,” said Corso. “They accommodated me and supported me, as did my colleagues in the early days of ‘ College GameDay.’ Special thanks to Kirk Herbstreit for his friendship and encouragement. And lest I forget, the fans … truly a blessing to share this with them. ESPN gave me this wonderful opportunity and provided me the support to ensure success. I am genuinely grateful.”
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